How Good Is An "Entry Level" Road Bike In 2024? - Trek Domane AL 2 Rim Brake

What are the big brands offering as their "entry level" bikes in 2024?
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[@Cade_Media]

apparently it's domanEEEEE my bad also is £750 entry level? let us know your thoughts.

[@josefraiz8438]

To me the best entry level bike is the Triban road bike edr af 105. Shimano 105, R6 fulcrum wheels, 8.8 kg frame UCI approved, carbon fork. 999£

[@_Tp___]

Entry level for a normal person? No. Entry level for a cyclist? Yes but pushing it on the top end of entry level.

[@kellypaws]

That’s not important though. If how to pronounce the name is one of your main concerns, your priorities would be wrong.

[@johnyblamounth9142]

Can you test Merida Scultura 400. They're £849 with 105

[@kellypaws]

Was it a replaceable derailleur hanger? Literally Francis's favourite thing and I don't think he mentioned it? Think I'd probably have the Triban though. In the end the ability to have decent discs would slightly edge the looks, which are admittedly good.

[@woozertoo]

Absolutely with you on the “attractiveness while stationary” factor: the more you find your bike appealing, the more you’ll want to hop back on it to log them miles.

[@paulgrimshaw8334]

Finally! A KZbin review of a bike most people could easily afford, ride, service, and park at the shops without fear of losing their life savings. Bikes like this are the backbones of cycling. And they’re generally getting better everyday by out punching models a few generations ago that cost considerably more when adjusted for inflation. Any concern over future proofing needs to be balanced against time (a ~10 year life span) and a realistic understanding of servicing. Cup and cone bearings can easily last 10 years with occasional servicing. Rims for rim brake bikes will be around for a long time to come because they’re easy and inexpensive to manufacture. One big issue with Treks, however… they come from the factory with very light oil or grease. Job #1 is regreasing everything before daily use,

[@stephensaines7100]

[Bikes like this are the backbones of cycling. ] That's an excellent phrase! And this machine (and competitors) are good enough that it's the rider, not the machine, that allows them (or not) to 'do the distance'. You don't need a Lamborghini to go touring.

[@paulgrimshaw8334]

@@stephensaines7100 That’s right. I know a few people whose only bikes are very expensive Italian racing models. They go for 1-2 long rides a year, plus a few rides around the neighbourhood. And they suffer afterwards because it’s not enough to stay “bike fit”. Meanwhile, some bloke is commuting or riding several times a week on a fitness bike. Zero complaints. Minimal DOMS because they’ve built up good bike fitness from thousands and thousands of kilometres of annual riding. The former people own nice bikes. The latter people are real cyclists.

[@Alex-to8es]

You say cup and cone bearing can last 10 years, but the reality is you are going to have worn down the rim surface on rim brake bikes buy then and they are in the bin. My Shimano R501 wheels were really good for £100, never serviced the bearings eventually after 7-8 years and tens of thousands of KM, several spokes broke, then the rim surface cracked. But I never serviced the bearings and they worked fine, reality is no one is rebuilding a wheel with these reletively cheap components you just buy a new one for £50-60.

[@paulgrimshaw8334]

@@Alex-to8es why have someone rebuild a rim when you can do it yourself. A few hours and lots of cursing gets the job done. I’m a disc guy now anyway..l

[@MrJhockley]

I don't think most people could afford £700 on a bike.

[@marks3620]

I have this exact bike as my second bike. The geometry is really good done rides of 50 plus miles in the Peak District including big climbs. Changed the standard one piece brake blocks to cartridge ones, put some new Mavic Aksiums on and some Michelin Pro 4 Endurance. I got in for well under 750 in a sale at a LBS. I sometimes choose it over my racier bike for longer rides as the geometry for me is spot on.

[@reinholdachleitner2069]

Excellent choice of new tyre's and wheels you made,you can't beat cartridge brake shoes.

[@lafargaa]

I bought the version AL 2 Disc version in 2021 for 1290USD. Has served me well for almost 7k km. Went from 94kg to 81kg in 6 months. The first upgrades were carbon handlebars, stem and seatpost (from aliexpress). I jumped into the gravel madness with panaracers SK 38mm. Recently upgraded to hunt gravel race wheelset with schwalbe pro one 32mm road tires and shimano 105 12speed. Can't be happier. It would have been cheaper to buy a nicer version or different bike for the same amount of money spent, but I wouldn't have learned everything I know about mechanics, geometry and bike fitting

[@AlbertBuckinghamEllison]

I bought this exact build back in 2021 as a winter training bike. Paid £680. I've travelled with it, ridden relentlessly on Surrey and Hampshire roads on it through winter. It's awesome. I got some alloy Fulcrum Quattro wheels and 28mm tyres on it (Gators in winter) to make it invincible when you don't want to puncture. The gears are brilliant but the breaks are getting stiff. Make sure you replace cables and clean those tubes after a year of use to optimal performance. The Claris system is a great mechanical chainset but the cable routing on the hood is a bit trickier then an older 105, Ultegra or Dira Ace when it comes to threading in a new cable. You have to remove the bar tape and the cable housing for a clean route. It's agile, comfortable and an ideal training bike or commuter bike. 7/10 long term review.

[@martinwarne]

Blendr is Trek’s proprietary mounting system for accessories. I have a Blendr mount for my Garmin on my FX3.

[@mikeymike1792]

Blendr is genuinely great. I have a bontrager stem on my Cervelo, I've learned to love Blendr, despite not knowing what it was originally.

[@SmartLittleFishy]

I have two Treks, and really have enjoy the BlendR system on both (2023 Fuel EX MTB and 2022 Allant+ for commuting). The BlendR system is really functional for attaching day time running lights, a headlight, a fender and under saddle bags. and easily move it from bike to bike. Don't underestimate the BlendR system.

[@ChrisGuarraia]

7:37 Blendr is a system on Trek bikes, specifically for where the handlebars attach to the stem, that allow you to mount headunits, lights, etc., without directly holding them to the stem itself.

[@lothf914]

Is Cube selling in the UK? I think the new Cube Attain 2025 range is the best value for money you can have at the moment.

[@MatthewQuinney]

I use that exact bike as my commuter every week. It’s done about 9k miles over the last 3 years and still going strong. It is like triggers broom and I have replaced multiple parts myself and it’s so easy to work on and does the job perfectly. It got me hooked on the sport and I have upgraded from that now but more than happy using it to get too and from work

[@paulgrimshaw8334]

Exactly. This type of bike is meant to be ridden.

[@tomhuynh4976]

That fidlock bidon was holding on for dear life

[@GTEEMEADOWS]

I picked up a 2022 Domane AL2 Disc on FB marketplace for £300 in excellent condition. Added Hunt carbon wheels, electronic Wheeltop EDS carbon groupset, and GP5000s with TPU tubes. Carbon Seatpost/handlebar & JuinTech hydraulic calipers. It's a fantastic bike, all said and done for under £1300, and it looks amazing! Weighs 9kg for size 58. Great deals to be had secondhand vs paying retail if you're already planning on upgrading it 👍

[@stephensaines7100]

Absolutely agreed.

[@davebolger3929]

100percent. Entry level bikes should be..... second hand! Also, Jimmy, my aluminium framed, carbon fork, 25mm tire road bike- according to everyone who's ridden it -is absolutely comfortable ( and inspires confidence when cornering, Francis). OK the most recently available version would have set you back £2500 - for the frameset only- so perhaps sometimes you get what you pay for. Or rather what someone paid for, coz I got it..... second hand!😊

[@michaelhayward7572]

I like bicycles that have the seat stays meet at the top tube...

[@JP-gb9cd]

Got this bike second hand on FB marketplace for £200 recently and very happy to see you make a video on it. Can't wait to really take it out on long rides and get some miles in. Currently hooked up to my other recently second hand purchase, zwift hub one.

[@531c]

In 1996 i paid £750 for a steel framed Paul Donohue 531 frame and fork roadbike kitted out with Shimano 16 speed RX 100. It weighed 22 lb / 9.8 kg. This trek is easily as good a bike. I think its remarkably good value. What people really need is to drop a few kg of bodyfat and train 5 days a week. They would easily keep up with people on £3000 bikes.

[@31.8mm]

my first road bike was trek 1. in 2017, i got i cheap from the shop because the RD hanger is bent, prolly it was a test bike and fell. i was a bike mechanic at that time so it's a good deal and an easy fix, i use it mainly for commuting to work, it's a good ride, i have no uncommon issues and i enjoy riding it, i named it candy because its red color, until somebody went to the shop and asking for it, i said it's not for sale, and it's not even his size, but he insisted because he likes the looks of it, but at the end the bike is sold, higher price than when i bought it. Sometimes i miss it, i was looking for the old pic, but it's all gone. I want to ride it again, a true breed road bike so efficient it sets my PRs on many local segments. it's fun.

[@sethchapman8001]

Happy to see you highlighting an actual entry level bike. Yeah, with inflation my father's Trek touring bike that cost 400 in '81, and my GT bmx in '84 at 350 would be way more expensive. Now I ride steel frame single speed road with rim brakes and love it. I don't think rim brakes are going anywhere. There will always be a niche market and 2nd hand from Ebay, etc.

[@theoceansswitch]

Love these entry level bike videos. Do you have them as a playlist?

[@theoceansswitch]

I think rim brake is fine for most bikes. Lighter, cheaper, easier to maintain, and perfectly good enough brake performance unless you're racing, doing alpine descents or don't know how to brake properly in wet conditions.

[@hcw199]

I do alpine descents in the wet on rim brakes.... No problem

[@theoceansswitch]

@@hcw199 In that case even less need for discs than I thought! I'm still on rim anyway and don't feel any desire or need to change tbh.

[@hcw199]

@@theoceansswitch Same... I'm gonna stick with rim brakes. Easier life, no chink, chink, chink... Also save money

[@Morhaw]

On an empty road I don’t think it matters. On descents when drivers brake check you (or tourists admiring the cows) I want the best brakes possible

[@theoceansswitch]

@@Morhaw I can't fault the logic, but in 10 years of riding rim brakes in all conditions I've never crashed because of not being able to stop. I just ride more cautiously when it's wet, and I don't jam the brakes on so hard it locks up my wheels. So I just don't see the need for adding weight, cost and faff to my bike...

[@Rose.Of.Hizaki]

Im old enough to remember when £750-800 meant that you got a half decent bike equipped with a mish mash of an Tiagra or off-brand and 105 groupset or almost a full if not a full tiagra groupset depending on the bike. Bikes like the older Tribans were very good value for money in those regards. Off-brand cranks/chainrings and brakes but everything else on was quality shimano. You dont even get a 105 or Tiagra with the £1000+ Domane AL 2 Gen 4

[@paulgrimshaw8334]

The branding of the group set isn’t a big deal. Claris will deliver everything that’s required by most people. Is 105 better? Sure. But sometimes “better” is the enemy of “good enough”. Want 105? Shop the sales, find a group set or components, and upgrade yourself at a cost less than the set of good tires at MSRP. Or better yet, get a good set of tires and stay on Claris… or be fastidious about chain cleanliness and lubrication. Those are where the real wins are.

[@leonox7313]

Modern low end Shimano groupsets may be much better than you expect them to be

[@Rose.Of.Hizaki]

@@paulgrimshaw8334 8sp Claris vs 10sp of the Tiagra though. less big jumps in gearing and more versatility. Maybe because this is their entry level bike I can let Trek just about get away with it. But like i said. They dont even give you Tiagra on the £1000+ less _entry level_ AL2 bike. You get mechanical disc brakes though. I dont understand the value prospect behind it. is a mechanical disc brake worth an extra £250-300?? I personally dont think so. I would rather the money be spent on upgrading the groupset or offer the spec on a different model so people can have a choice where they want the bike budget to be spent i.e rim brakes but upgraded 10sp groupset. With that said. Id probably be looking at the second hand market for better value if not sourcing my own bits to build a bike to my own spec.

[@paulgrimshaw8334]

@@Rose.Of.Hizaki All,great points. I think a rim brake “premium” is marketing and profit seeking. As for a mech disc for $200-300 more.,, silliness. But the same premium for hydraulic disk is a no brainer. There are no good reasons for thru axles costing more… but they are a better solution for a number of reasons. As for gearing, I’m a big believer of having a few different wheel sets with different cassettes… or swap cassettes for hill climb days or racing days. It’s not just the gear spacing. It’s also the range of gears. Those can be dialled in p tightly to favourite routes (including commuter routes) better than what the manufacturer of the bike has in mind.

[@madyogi6164]

@@Rose.Of.Hizaki You're very right.10 speed Tiagra ins't that new right? Pretty much 10 years old today. Assuming some kiddo don't want to become a bike mechanic, just wants to ride a bike - this 750 (or that Giant from the end of video) are pretty good offers. Not to mention that pushing into 10 speed Tiagra is yet another pitfall. Can't upgrade into 105 (or higher) without throwing everything again, back to the bare frame.

[@NoahStephens]

That blue is beautiful

[@jikemenkins7098]

This is an excellent series! More please!

[@Ryan.T89]

I know we go on about Decathlon, but back in 2019 and early 2020 you could get an Ultra AF Btwin or later branded Van Rysel near the end of its production, for £850. That came with R7000 105, direct mount brakes, Mavic Aksum’s and continental tyres. I still have mine and use it as a Crit bike and it’s pretty light for alloy. How on earth did we go from that to this trek. Like an entry level Btwin in 2019 was £350 with the same spec as the trek. You could get a Sora one for £499.

[@andrewosborne9000]

Great to see reviews of ‘normal bikes’ rather than the usual super bikes we see on various platforms. Keep up the good work.

[@lukeanderson8062]

I have this bike but with Shimano 105 disc and it is brilliant. Launched me into the world of cycling and I’ve since changed the bars to be shorter reach like Francis mentioned. I have a set of carbon Elite Wheels on order at the moment which I think will really lighten it up. 105 is an absolute dream and the semi external cable routing makes it super easy to swap bits out. £900 essentially brand new on FB marketplace think it was a steal!

[@geoffwaymark465]

My wife (5 foot and not much) loves her disc brake version of this which goes down to a 44" frame size and she feels like it's the first bike that's ever 'fit' her. Also 32mm tires really help it feel smooth

[@alviseberti9986]

I know you are not fans of Halfords but the Boardman slr 8.6 has the same specs ( component wise ) shorter reach handlebars for £520 ( on offer now ) lack of smaller sizes but the paint job on the women s one is pretty good

[@leerichy6489]

Well done Francis for a common sense presentation of this bike. Lots of people haven't the experience to buy 2nd hand and sort out the bike, they need bikes like these to get started and feel they have a safe ride.

[@kentjoosten8149]

Pretty much agree with all your criteria for serviceable, entry-level endurance bike. I recently got a 2015 Bianchi Via Nirone for all those reasons. Stripped off all the FSA/Reparto Corse/Tiagra bits and built up a simple, bullet-proof 1x11 for multi-day rides.

[@Williamsmith_21]

I think the best budget bike is the van rysel edr 105. 999 for 105, 8.8 kg uci approved frame, fulcrum wheels and a carbon fork

[@Al.2]

That's the bike I've got. I bought it just after it was released over four years ago. The wheels aren't even the most basic - 18 spokes in the front, 20 in the back and they're bombproof. The frame is excellent - comfortable and great to sprint on. And you can fit 30 mm tires!

[@MrYorrik]

@@Al.2 oh, good to know you can fit 30mm on the af 105 because it looks like a very interesting bike for the money

[@Al.2]

​ @MrYorrik Yes, you can. There's more room at the front as the fork is tall and wider than the brake and I was even riding without issues with a big 32 mm Continental Contact Speed tire, which on my wide rims is even wider, but that is close. At the back, the height of the tire, where the brake is mounted, is the limiting point, but most 30 mm tires should fit fine.

[@that1mikey]

Just purchased my Al2 lithium grey off Team cycles 2 weeks ago. Quality company and I'm pleased with the bike.

[@T.I.M.5]

I’ve been riding a Domane Al2 for 5 years. Several thousand flawless miles. I absolutely love it. But now I love my Pinarello. I HIGHLY recommend the TREK

[@cneubert28]

I started back into cycling on this bike. I since upgraded to the carbon Domane. Love this bike.

[@LaszloFarkas89]

As a beginner myself, i have what i belive to be the 2019 version, black with red Trek logo, looks gorgeous with matching red BBB flexribbon handlebar tape. Let's put it that way, i'm not slow because of the bike :). What i didn't like about it though were the brakes, they have a certain wooden feel to them, and if you are afraid of descents and are constantly on the brakes you can really quickly wear out your rims (which happened to me). I'd say either switch the break pads out or change to 105 brakes like i did. 8 speed is plenty enough for any beginner, shifting is great, the 25mm Bontrager R1 tires are puncture resistant, but very heavy and they can be slippy in the wet - if you can swap them out to a 28mm mid-tier tire like a Bontrager R3 it will slightly increase comfort and there will be a marked difference in speed.

[@jdmcdorce876]

For reference, Trek's US site is showing it on sale for $999.99 (down from $1,129.99), only currently available in blue/black in 56 and 58.

[@paulgrimshaw8334]

Trek is knocking them out the door at reduced prices these days. In fact, its prices have softened over the last 12-14 months with zero reduction in content. This is due to softening of sales post COVID and high inventory.

[@stephensaines7100]

Interesting! $1K is the magic figure.

[@mrazik9365]

wow that is expensive, my lbs sells them for 650

[@paulgrimshaw8334]

@@mrazik9365 A local bike shop heading into winter might be selling off its inventory to prepare for ski season. Or maybe they’re holding too much inventory and bills are due. Or they have 1 or 2 bikes of that model left and want to free up floor or back room space. Or it’s a weird size, colour. Lots of things happen at the local level from gouging to dumping.

[@ichor20]

Had an AL2 disk in that blue and it's absolutely gorgeous

[@davidcaush5036]

I am the target market this bike would be aimed at as the cost of new bikes with Di2 are far more expensive than I can afford, maybe Francis could do a video looking at what improvements could be made to this or a similar bike in that price range. Team cycles is a great shop with very helpful staff, and I do enjoy the videos from Francis and Cade.

[@markjthomson]

I picked up one of these post covid for $200nz (110 euro), modified it to 10 speed 105, have put 30 000km on it... brilliant bike. The frame will fit 32mm tires to boot. Would very happily have another one, although preference would be the next level up in terms of components. Excellent bike, especially for long distance (200 to 300km) rides.

[@fishcyclr]

If my local bike shop had a bike like that. I wouldn't have fixed my old one.

[@nickpatten5263]

I still have my 2009 Trek 1.2 with 2By 9speed Sora. It’s in pristine condition and I love riding it. Given that I also have a Checkpoint too as Francis mentioned the annoying thing in 2024 is the silly gear knobs on the Sora groupset. Apart from that as with the Domane it’s still great.

[@totriz]

I have one of these in black/gold that I bought ligthly used for the equivalent of £300, my first road bike, and I feel that I don't need anything more. I only upgraded the tires to 28mm continental ultrasport III and have put 6000+ km on it since october last year. Have done several 200k rides and one 300k audax on it. Very comfortable if you get the right size for you.

[@7275vrt]

I have the white al4, and its in my kitchen, and yes i ride it every day. Out if the box its a great bike. Reach on the bars is a bit much but its nothing to complain about. Only thing im swapping out on mine is carbon wheels.

[@NameNaameNameeNaamee]

Worth noting would also be the life long warranty on the frame and 2 years on everything else, plus a rock solid dealer network.

[@cuebj]

Age 69, I do agree with current trend for wider tyres and rims... copes with SE London and Kent ruts, potholes, and very knobbly (even main) roads. Old 23C tyre narrow rim bike at risk of getting stuck in ruts they are so wide. Some knobbly roads make for dropping 3 gears compared with flat section before the knobbly area.

[@taramu8670]

YAY! ENTRY LEVEL ROAD BIKE SERIES IS BACK.

[@TheFloridaBikeVlogger]

after looking online, that black frame looks so nice

[@zmuzzy101]

I know it was a throwaway comparison but wooden bikes are actually exceptionally comfortable and much more compliant than any other frame material I've ridden. There's a company here in the UK called Beamz who make them and I've ridden one. One of Nick's bike has recently completed a ride across Europe!

[@Matty-r9b]

You guys should review the Pinnacle Laterite range from Evans Cycles (similar style entry-level road bike with rim brakes). The Pinnacle Laterite 3 with Sora groupset was on sale recently for 300 pounds (if you paid with fraser plus). It's currently 500 pounds atm

[@hananas2]

I agree, looks great! imo looks are really important too.

[@CommaCam]

That is an absolutely fantastic geometry chart for an entry level/endurance road bike. Well done Trek. It's almost like they've been paying attention to customer feedback or something.

[@fmnx.]

I had a to make a difficuld decision a month ago between this bike and Giant Contend 1(699 eur in Germanny), and bought Giant in resoult, because of Sora groupset, but one tricky moment, Giant has 135 mm rear hub, that makes this bike a bit difficult for upgrading wheelset, for me it's complitely fine and I really enjoy riding this one, it works for me purfectly, but it the future i'm planing to swap tires for something more interesting. For those who might be thinking about this Giant, i'm 185cm and took L size, it a bit long for me and I swaped stem for shorter (90mm, insted 110) and handlebar, it's too wide in L size (440mm) and I highly reccomend to try this bike in the shop, because size M/L can be better for you and maybe for me too, but I had a few free stems and dropbars.

[@applewizard32]

I bought the Domane AL 2 gen 3 last month for £800 from my local Trek Shop on clearance. It’s a gorgeous Hex Blue colour which is what drew me to it. For another £50 I have a slightly better looking frame imo and disc brakes. It’s pretty comfortable to ride, due in part to the 32c tyres. Trek seems to have weird sizing, their tool puts me on a 58 or even a 60 for 181cm height an 89cm inseam. I bought a 56 and it fits okay. Very happy with it. Thinking of putting a carbon wheelset on it that I can carry over to my next bike.

[@mitmon_8538]

Praise be to the Francis over-ride. That's a sick bike!!

[@drummygooders]

I bought an Domane AL2 last year on ebay for £250 as my first road bike. Stonking value! A few years old but pretty much the same spec as this

[@adamwatkins]

I thought the bike industry stop selling things like this with externally rooted cables and rim brakes so it’s great to see. I’m very tempted to pick one up.

[@lennart_1232]

Now, I’m always hyped for your videos. So keep it up. Still I have an idea for at least these types of bikes. Maybe you could give some recommendations for some cheap and useful upgrades for beginners. Like tires or wheels etc…

[@jergleason15]

Super sleek classic look from Trek. Obvious limitations but excellent value! You could also go biketouring with this bike. Looks like a fun ride. You guys have any tours planned for the fall season?

[@nomadcarpenter8549]

Keep in mind a frame with a shorter head tube with all else being equal will have a longer reach of approximately 7mm per 10mm reduction in head tube length.

[@sparkvitaminwater]

This was my first bike. Was able to do easy 1000 watt sprints on it and hit 55mph without any speed wobbles.

[@Dammy92]

Funnily enough, I collected my AL2 as my first road bike just yesterday. 2022 rim brake version for £750, happy with the purchase so far

[@scrumartist]

bought that bike for my son few years back and its still being used if you reviewed the latest al2 disc (which is gen 4) its still a looker/good looking bike.

[@daydreamer-ix2bo]

Cannondale synapse Al was my choice and I don't regret it. A couple of hundred extra but you get a lot more.

[@d.k.7710]

agree on issue with rim brakes... since roughly 2 years nearly no medium category for rims exists. What you get is cheap and heavy crap, or rather expensive (and ridiculous for day-by-day bike) rims. At least for cyclo-cross / light mountain. Does matter, if the rims gets worn after 2 years of daily commuting

[@christopherjordan7650]

Great video. Y'all should get your hands on the new Domane AL2 Disc, and see what you think.

[@surfexplore6432]

90’s Cannondales are my fav intro bikes. I’ve built 2 in the last 3 months with modern group-sets for under 800 canadian dollars (~£440) total. I think Facebook marketplace may eliminate the need for brands to produce new “introductory” bike models

[@clarencehowell1986]

Bought my first road bike 6 months ago. This was on my list but for 200$ more I got 105 group set with polygon. Color is horrible but 105 and actual 28 tyers

[@jamiecowen1982]

I bought one of these in January - my first 'serious' bike - and did the Dunwich Dynamo on it in July. The tyres are *not* good, and need replacing immediately. But other than that I've been pretty happy with it. The more I use it, the more I think the reach is too extreme, but other than that it's a brilliant 'entry level' (not getting into that argument) road bike.

[@justusthien55]

I promise you the coolest entery bike is the Rose bend

[@DisssArm]

3:38 the water bottle clinging for dear life

[@stephensaines7100]

Apparently it is. All I can add to that is that thank God I still have my Eighties Argos Racing Renovated Reynolds 531 that I continue to ride, both locally and distance, and replace parts (upgrade in most cases) and sometimes replace with found rare (nowadays) parts like Stronglight 99 cranks (I'm running an SKF BB with drive side roller bearings that's as good as new ten years after installing). SPA Cycles still sell replacement chainwheels for a very reasonable price. So I view what's on the market now with abandon, save to witness that the trend *for the great majority* back towards max value for minimal price is an encouraging trend. Frankly I feel embarrassed for the trend crowd. They've taken the fun out of cycling, and they're on a different page than many of us. Btw: Just out of interest, I note the crankset with this Domane is five point ring mounting. There's a story there, and credit to them. They look vastly more 'right' than the awkward four point ones.

[@ldabc4917]

I started with a trek domane al2 disk break did me well and did what it needed it to do..since upgraded and I do miss the saddle 😂

[@stevehughes975]

Not a bad package in the current market. However😊 for €750 I bought a full carbon, full ultegra rim brake Scott with Ksyrium sl wheels. It was almost unused. There are some superb older models to be had out there. Bang for your buck secondhand is the way to go.

[@Harald-s9s]

looking forward to review of cannondale optimo range! great review!

[@FGIRAFFE]

Nice and interesting. I would like to have a study on a diy bike. You just buy the frame and then the component for the same price tag. What would you end up with?

[@hcw199]

I bought a Giant Contend SL1 with 105 alloy frame, carbon fork and seat post, rim brakes ebay £385. (Practically new!)

[@vasilealx]

Van Rysel EDR AF 105 is £1000 with full 105 11 speed, race geometry. I changed the seat post and saddle and weighs 9kg with pedals.

[@pierrehenri2297]

You could check the Specialized Sirrus X 2.0 flat bar- good call for commuters at £600!! 🤘🏼

[@npwheaties]

The number of my customers that come in calling it a DOMAIN is hilarious. It's at the point where we just gloss over it at this point

[@kellymorris10342]

As an entry level bike, it would be pretty good for someone who's a casual rider. I'd bump the tire size up, but that's just me.

[@ariffau]

I’ll actually pay the extra 250 quid for an Allez. It’s got room for a lot larger tyres, it’s got disc brakes and fender mounts. The newest frame set also isn’t that heavy 😊

[@NorthernSkiAndCycle]

“When you look at the bike in your kitchen” I know that non garage feeling…

[@MrYorrik]

Looks excellent, and has a relatively good spec for 750 pounds, and rim brakes make perfect sense to me at this price point because it stops well enough on ali rims, plus lighter and cheaper. However, Decathlon UK has some discounts right now, so you could pick up the women’s RC 500, with rim brake and sora, weight 9.95 kg in size S, for just 500 pounds unless you are tall, even the women's EDR AF 105, weight 9,13 kg in S, for 800 pounds, or even go with the men’s EDR AF 105, weight 8,800 kg in M, for 1,000 pounds to get far better spec for an extra 250 pounds although I know that takes you well out of entry-level. In fact, I’d love to see you do a review of the EDR AF 105 because it strikes me as an amazing bike for the money if you are okay with rim brakes.

[@madyogi6164]

That Giant at the end also has a nice color. Must add that $100 extra though.

[@malcontent_1]

You should re-test the Triban ("Van Rysel"?) 520 Road bike. If it now comes w/ Microshift Sword, the shifter ergonomics should be a significantly better than their old Advent.

[@XavieRibeiro25]

Test the new entry level Cube Attain. Only 800€ in Portugal thanks to our VAT, and you know you can get a deal on them if you try.

[@tomaskelly9028]

Great vid!! Do you guys not think that the boardman 8.6 SLR is a direct competitor to this bike?

[@smitsamuel]

Boardman bikes are immensely good value, though I think stocks availability is variable.

[@Barbiekiller89]

Canyon Endurace 7 RB is around 1200 GBP- over the budget, but I'd consider to save cash a bit longer and buy it.

[@Tijlina]

I have this bike but with disc brakes. In my opinion, it's worth the extra money to buy the disc brake version instead of the rim brake. I'm now riding riding it for 2 years and I have done some upgrades ( the tires cause they were horseshit, I have gone from 8 speed to 11speed cause 8 was just not enough). but this bike is really great for that price I would reccomend it!

[@andreemurray7039]

My son has broadman £600 though I did rip it apart have upgraded it frame was very good for upgraded

[@edymarkonthego4096]

Maintenance and replacing cables is easy as pie at least.

[@Cenkich21]

Bought a rc520 with 105 at the beginning of the year ,one of the last in stock for 620€. Not a bad deal may I say 😊

[@glenngardin3561]

I get the idea for these videos, but..... what do you get USED for the same quid?

[@leedorney]

Technically a lot more...

[@Al.2]

I wouldn't be worried for rim brake parts and wheels availability for DECADES. There are millions of rim brake bikes in use all over the world and more are still being bought new.

[@repo4]

Can you get Kellys ARC 10/30 in UK? Similar money and spec, better looking, always on hollowtech 2..

[@Hyfly13]

I just bought the Triban GRVL 520 for £999, came with the Shimano 105's. Good value? I was waiting for months to get a Triban gravel after your Malaysia trip!

[@gmivisualsjason3729]

So how and where would you place the Trek Domane al2 disk? I paid £1050.00 for mine a year ago absolutely brilliant bike to start out on. Since then however I've upgraded it to full 105 12speed mechanical groupset. Scribe carbon wheels 50d and redshift stem and seat post. Continental gp5000 28mm tyres. Sele Italia boost saddle New handlebars.... (Can't remember which lol) It's now a hell of a bike........ Rides as smooth as carbon. But a tad bit heavier.

[@daytch9485]

So is this the old Emonda , and what grade aluminum is it?

[@SamWize.]

You should deffo try the giant contend, I know it's more but basically the same bike

[@ForeverDownByLaw]

The price would be decent, but I can’t abide by 8 speed. For the money I have think there are better values used in 10/11 speed. Looked at this last year, but bought a 10 speed Orbea Avant 10 speed HD-40 for 1200.